Box



Feb. 7, 1939.

E. PULSIFER BOX Filed June v2:5, 1953 gives Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to boxes and box blanks, and more especially to such as are constructed of a single foldable sheet. Boxes of cardboard and the like are most commonly manufactured by k folding a blank into box form and pasting the overlapping faces together. As thus manufactured, it is obvious that the box must be constructed in box form at the factory andshipped to the consumer in this form, such shipments being bulky, inconvenient and expensive. One object of my invention is the production of an improved box blank consisting of a single sheet which can be shipped flat and thereafter quickly and conveniently set up into box form as and l5 where used, thus eliminating much expense and labor heretofore required.

- The box blank of my invention is a single sheet creased at the fold lines and adapted quickly to be fo-lded on these lines to provide full and secure r,20 side and end walls, and the construction is such that only folded edges and finished exterior surfaces are exposed. The end walls furthermore include folded portions having overlapping ears .fitting into formed recesses in a manner pro- ;25 ducing flat and flush folds within the end walls.

35 quickly and conveniently folded up from a flat .blank and firmly secured, all by automatic machinery, thus permitting the blanks to be shipped fiat tothe consumer wherethey can be rapidly formed into boxes as needed. The blank is of the 40 nature above set forth and wherein said folded portions in the end walls are adapted to receive ay relatively thin clinching anvil therebetween. When the box has been folded, staples are driven outwardly through the end wall flaps and these 45 staples are clinched over within the walls by said anvil, thus quickly and firmly securing the parts together without exposing the staples at the exterior of the box. Such an improved box and the method of producing the same comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and 55 shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 illustrates the box blank of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View of one end of the blank partially folded into box form;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the finished 5 box;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of the box, partially broken away;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and showing the stapling operation.

The blank l0 comprises a single sheet of foldable material creased along the broken lines (Fig.

l) whereby to be folded into box form and provide a bottom panel l2, side panels i4, and end panels I6. Portions I8 connect the side and end panels .at the corners and each such portion is creased diagonally as indicated to provide a fold line 20. Each portion is also cut out t0 2O provide a recess 22 at one side of the fold line and also to provide an ear 24 at the opposite side thereof. A foldable flap 26, creased at 28, is provided on the extreme outer end of each end panel I6 for the purpose of binding the parts together 25 and holding the blank in folded relation as hereinafter described.

The blank may be easily and quickly folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The side panels are folded upwardly, the portions I8 folded 30 inwardly and the end panels folded upwardly. When all the panels are brought fully to the upright position, the ears 24 overlap and each ear fits Within the recess of the adjacent portion fold and is flush therewith. The flaps 26 are then 35 folded inwardly, on the lines 28, and downwardly over and against the inner face of the fold portions. These flaps may be secured to the adjacent face of the end wall in any manner desired and when thus secured the end and side walls yare very substantially supported. As thus Y. folded, it will be noted that each portion I8 provides two adjacent sections lying in inner and outer planes and that the inner and outer sections of the two adjacent portions at each end of the box lie respectively in these inner and outer planes, the two ears 24 overlapping each other and also lying respectively in said planes.` It will be readily apparent that such construction provides a perfectly at end with the parts overlapping in a manner greatly strengthening the box.

My invention furthermore contemplates a novel .and convenient method of securing the flaps 26 in the folded position shown in Figs. 3-6. This method consists of so stapling the flaps that the exterior surface of the box is left intact. It will be noted that the interior of the two folds of each portion I8 is open at the corners of the box whereby a relatively thin anvil 30 may be slipped thereinto. The stapling is performed by means of a hammer 32 driving a staple 34 outwardly through the ap 26 and one fold I8, and clinching the staple over at 36 on the anvil 30, a supplementary anvil or support 38 being provided outside the box. Thus the flaps are quickly secured in place without aifecting the exterior surface of the box and it will be readily apparent that the stapling operation is particularly applicable to machine operations and entirelyr eliminates the use of paste and its attending objections.

The blank I6 may be covered with lining linside) and wrap (outside) papers and, when folded into box form, these papers will assume their respective positions on the inside and outside of the box. It will also be noted that all outside edges of the box are folds, no raw or cut edgesr` being visible or exposed. There is substantially no waste in forming the blank and a single simple blank will make a finished box or cover. The overlapping andjoining of the ears 24 adds substantially in providing .a rugged end wall which gives firm support to the side walls I4.

It will be understood that much of the value of the invention lies in its adaptation to the shipping of the boxes in blank form and setting the. same up by relatively simple machinery at the timeY and where they are to be used. Comparatively small, simple and light machines will serve the purpose of setting up the box, thus permitting this operation tol be conveniently and rapidly performed. Furthermore such a machine using staples can operate speedily and without the danger or troubles attending the use of paste and the like.

Having thus described my invention, what lI claim .as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A boxA constructed of a single sheet and comprising a bottom panel, sideY and end panels connected thereto, portions between and connecting the side and end panels at the corners of the box, each of said portions being folded onto itself at the inner face of its end panel and forming two adjacent sections lying in inner and outer adjacent planes, the inner and outer sections of each two adjacent portions lying respectively in the said inner and outer planes and each portion having an ear overlapping the other portion, said two ears being respectively in said two planes, and a flap at the free end of each end panel folded inwardly and downwardly over andagainst said portions and attached thereto.

2. Abox constructed of a single sheet and Ycbmprising a bottom panel, side and end panels connected thereto, portions between .and connecting the side and end panels at the corners of the box, each of said portions being folded onto` itself along a line diagonally thereof andbeing cut away at one sideof said line in a manner Vleaving an ear at the opposite side of the line,

each ear overlapping the ear of the adjacent portion, fitting into the recess formed by the cutaway therein and being flush with the fold of the said adjacent portion not carrying the ear, and a flap at the free end of each end panel folded inwardly and downwardly over and against said portions an-d attached thereto. u

3. The box defined in claim 2 in which the said recesses are substantially triangular and in which the said ears fitting thereinto are substantially of a size and shape corresponding to the recesses.

Ll. VA box constructed of av single sheet and compn'sing a bottom panel, side .and end panels connected thereto, portions between Yand connecting the side and end panels at the corners` ofV the box, each of said portions being folded onto itself at the inner face of its end panel and forming inner and outer sections, a flap at the free end of each endV panel folded inwardly and downwardly over and against said portions, and metallic fas,- teners extending outwardly through the flaps and the innersections but not through the outer sections and end panels.

5. A box constructed of a single sheet and comprising a bottom panel, side and end panels connected thereto, portions between and connecting the side and end panels at the corners of the box, each of said portions being folded ontoI itself along a line diagonally thereof and being cut away at one side of said line in a manner leaving an ear at the opposite side of the line, each ear overlapping the ear of the adjacent portion, fitting intoy the recess formed by the cutaway therein and being flush with the fold of the said adjacent portion not carrying the ear, a iiap at the free end of each panel folded inwardly and :downwardly'over and against said portions, and fasteners extending outwardly through. the flaps and the inner fold of said portions but not through the outer foldl and the adjacent end panel, the'fasteners being clinched over between said folds. l

6. A box blank comprising a single atsheet creased to form bottom, side and end panels, and four portions between and connecting the side and end panels at the corners, each of said four portions being creased diagonally to form a fold line and recessed at one side of said line adjacent to theouter end' thereof in a manner leaving an outwardly projecting ear at the opposite side of the line, rsaidfour recesses being formed within 7'. The blank defined in claim6 in which each said recess on one side of a fold line is of a sizeY and shape substantially corresponding to the ear .at the opposite side of the line.

ERNEST PULsIFER. 

